Ban private clamping, says AA

Clamping cars parked on private land should be made illegal in England and Wales, according to the AA.

The motoring group claims one in 10 drivers has been clamped or fined by private enforcers, with no independent arbitration process.

It argued government proposals for greater self-regulation would not work.

The AA also said the prevalence of "bad and immoral practices" among private parking firms in England and Wales was "shocking and unacceptable", with some people being charged more than £500 to retrieve a towed car.

However, the British Parking Association countered that the AA had not come up with a "credible" alternative, but said it would welcome working with the group.

Patrick Troy, chief executive of the BPA, said its code of practice for member companies was "a good first step to improving standards", but conceded more government action was needed.

"Our scheme is not perfect and we would welcome working with the AA further on the concerns they raise in their consultation response as we are sure positive solutions can be found by working together," he said.

The government has said it accepts that tougher rules are needed and new legislation will be introduced in 2010.

It has suggested other measures to regulate wheel clamping, including setting a maximum amount that companies can charge and a minimum amount of time before a clamped car can be towed away.

Wheel clamping is already banned altogether in Scotland, while in Northern Ireland only unlicensed vehicles can be clamped.

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Clamping by private companies has been illegal in Scotland for decades. A judge ruled it was effectively holding a car to ransom, and therefore illegal. Why England hasn't followed I don't know!

BUT, we've now got little twats walking round car parks (Europarks etc) taking down everybody's number and sending you a bill if you stay too long. There's no option to pay, no barriers at entry or exit. Just some recovering alcoholic in a bight yellow and blue jacket walking around thinking he's something important just because he can type numbers in to a keypad!

Anywhere where there has to be a parking charge this should give you a ticket when you enter and then you have the choice if you stay longer or not. Pure and simple.

BUT, we've now got little twats walking round car parks (Europarks etc) taking down everybody's number and sending you a bill if you stay too long. There's no option to pay, no barriers at entry or exit. Just some recovering alcoholic in a bight yellow and blue jacket walking around thinking he's something important just because he can type numbers in to a keypad!

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A couple of years ago, I was asked if I wanted to be considered for a job selling parking enforcement systems to supermarkets etc. I declined.

On another note, a Preston company "National Clamps" is currently clamping cars in Altrincham, Cheshire. This despite the local council telling them the roads are public highways............

"However, the British Parking Association countered that the AA had not come up with a "credible" alternative, but said it would welcome working with the group."

Being the owner of a private car parking area, I tend to get quite a few people taking the mickey and parking when they've been asked not to. So far I've never employed a clamping company (or even done it myself), but if things get worse I will have to consider it.

If they are out lawed, as the BPA say, what are my options?

We had the need to remove a car recently, but none of the relevant authorities wanted to know. The Police said its the councils responsibility, and the council didn't want to touch it because it is private property! The Police also stated if we touched the car then we would be breaking the law. We were left without a leg to stand on.

If the councils were to take some responsibility and work together with private property owners then this could be an option. From my experience though the mentality is wrong and the bureaucracy is too much for it to work.

Release of private addresses to companies should be banned, as should the taking of vehicles to be held for ransom. Control the maximum amount of fee/fines a private company can ask for and this cancer of legalised bullying and intimidation will retreat back to the cesspits they emerged from.

And to those who have private parking that is abused, I know it's a pain I had one once.

But you don't need to employ the scum

Put a man on the gate, or invest in some electronic parking barriers, or cheap parking poles or chains. If control of your parking is that important spend a bit on it and do it properly

If the importance of alternatives are required, ask the countries where they are outlawed. It's hardly rocket science, but considering it as such, makes such methods as 'clamping' merely appear as a reasonable response, when they are clearly not.

If landowners want to stop drivers parking on their property, or within their own, presumably 'reasonable', parking rules, they must control the access to prevent this. 'Prevention' being the key word, rather than punishment. Paying for this prevention is the responsibility of the land owner, not the 'offenders' without a court order from a lawful pursuit of a claim.

It's no wonder the local authority and the Police will not get involved in these 'private operations'. Their legality has always been in question, for such a trivial act.